Piling Pots

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a flower pot configured specifically to be easily mounted atop a waterfront piling to increase attractiveness of the waterfront experience and to prevent nautical birds from landing and soiling the pilings.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of pots and morespecifically relates to a flower pot configured specifically to beeasily mounted atop a waterfront piling.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A flower pot or plant pot is a container (such as a pot) in whichflowers and other plants are cultivated. Historically, and still to asignificant extent today, they are made from terra cotta. Flower potsare now often made from plastic, wood, stone, or sometimes biodegradablematerial. Often there are holes in the bottom, to allow excess water toflow out, sometimes to a saucer that is placed under the flower pot. Theplant may use this water with its root system, as needed. Recently, someflower pots have been made with an automatic watering system, using areservoir.

Various attempts have been made to solve problems found in flower potart to provide a flower pot suitable for mounting on a piling or othercolumnar structure. Among these are:

U.S. Pat. No. 6,715,232 to Frank W. Rice describes a flower pot havingan internal channel extending upward from the center of the bottom ofthe pot, wherein the channel is capable of being mounted on a piling orother columnar structure.

U.S. Pub. No. 2007/0220809 to Ron Serio describes a flower pot andmethod wherein the flower pot has an indentation to accommodate aninternal post support.

None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or incombination, is seen to describe the present invention as claimed Thus,a need exists for a reliable flower pot configured specifically to beeasily mounted atop a waterfront piling and to avoid the abovementionedproblems.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known flower potdevice art, the present invention provides novel Piling Pots. Thegeneral purpose of the present invention, which will be describedsubsequently in greater detail, is to provide a flower pot configuredspecifically to be easily mounted atop a waterfront piling and toprovide waterfront property owners attractive decorative accents forpilings, as well as an attractive alternative to bird spikestraditionally used to prevent birds from perching on and soiling thepilings and to avoid the above-mentioned problems. The features of theinvention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed outand distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification.These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings and detailed description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figures which accompany the written portion of this specificationillustrate embodiments and methods of use for the present invention,Piling Pots, constructed and operative according to the teachings of thepresent invention.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view illustrating a Piling Pots according toan embodiment of the present invention showing an exploded view the showthe individual components of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective front view illustrating the Piling Potsaccording to an embodiment of the present invention showing the potcontaining a plant mounted onto the top of a piling.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the Piling Pots in an ‘in-use’condition according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing apair of pots containing plants mounted onto a pair of pilings.

The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter bedescribed in conjunction with the appended drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to aflower pot device and more particularly to Piling Pots configuredspecifically to be easily mounted atop a waterfront piling. The refugeand beauty of waterfront living are enjoyed by many. Whether one liveson a man-made or natural lake, beside a flowing river, or at anoceanfront resort, living in close proximity to water is for many theequivalent of being on an endless vacation. For those who enjoy outdooractivities such as fishing, sailing or swimming, waterfront livingsimply can't be beat. Further, many senior citizens and retirees move towaterfront areas in their later years, simply because water provides asense of calm and tranquility. After all, what may be more peaceful thatwatching the sun rise and set everyday over a crystal clear lake orgrassy marsh? For those who live in waterfront properties, retainingwalls or “bulkheads” against the shoreline are often a necessity as ameans of protecting property from storm damage and erosion. A marinebulkhead is commonly defined as a vertical shoreline stabilizationstructure configured primarily to retain soil. Constructed from avariety of materials, bulkheads may be manufactured of concrete, wood,steel and even vinyl. Typically, bulkheads are supported by verticalcolumns or “pilings” driven into the ground to provide structuralsupport.

As with the bulkhead itself, pilings may be manufactured from a widerange of material's including wood, steel and concrete, to name a few.Because of a bulkhead's close proximity to the water, the verticalpilings which support these walls are often a natural resting place fornautical birds. While there is little dispute that the image of apelican perched atop a piling may be a lovely picture, the mess leftbehind by these animals may quickly detract from their beauty. Simplystated, birds perched on pilings often leave droppings on the surface ofthe piling, rendering the piling both unsightly and unsanitary. Notlimited to the pilings, the entire surrounding area including thebulkhead and dock are subject to being sullied by bird droppings.

As may be imagined, attempting to tie a small fishing boat to a piling,only to discover that the piling is covered in bird droppings may beless than pleasant. Keeping pilings and bulkheads clean of thesedroppings may be a time consuming, tedious and seemingly endless task.Many attempt to solve this problem by installing bird spikes atopbulkhead pilings. As the name implies, bird spikes are sharpened plasticor metal spikes, configured in clusters and designed to be mounted atoppilings, thus preventing birds from landing and perching on the piling.Although these spikes do indeed prevent birds from landing on thepilings, their harsh, utilitarian design may detract from a beautifulseascape and thus many waterfront homeowners simply choose not to usethem.

Referring now to the drawings FIGS. 1-3, the Piling Pot comprising anovel product offering consumers a practical solution to theaforementioned challenges. As the name implies, the Piling Pot comprisesa specially designed flower pot configured expressly to be easilymounted atop a piling. Thus when filled with plants or flowers, thePiling Pot may prevent birds from perching atop the piling while alsoproviding a unique decorative accent for the bulkhead. Manufacturedprimarily of a heavy duty and weather resistant plastic material, thePiling Pot may be similar in appearance to a traditional flower pot andmay be an open, cylindrical shaped receptacle with the base of the unitmeasuring slightly smaller in diameter than the open mouth of the pot.The Piling Pot may measure approximately 12 inches in depth, with potsfeaturing a diameter of 8 inches and 10 inches also offered in the line.

For practical purposes, a circular shaped drainage hole may be centrallypositioned on the base of the pot. Included for sale with the Piling Potmay be a cylindrical shaped sleeve designed to be mounted directly tothe bulkhead as well as serving as a base tray for the flower potitself. This sleeve may be secured to the top of the piling via twothreaded screws driven through the center of the unit.

The top of this sleeve may culminate in an overflow tray for the flowerpot, with a threaded fitting running the perimeter of the interior ofthe tray and corresponding to a threaded fitting located on the base ofthe Piling Pot itself. As an added design feature the Piling Pot may bemanufactured boasting solar powered lights incorporated into its designwhich are automatically activated during the evening hours. The PilingPot may be produced in a range of vibrant colors and patterns, as wellas natural bisque or neutral hues.

To add color, or decorative or holiday accents, and unique style withoutreplacing the pots, a decorative sleeve is applied around the outside ofthe pot. A decorative sleeve can be sold separately and featuredifferent colors, textures and designs. Seasonal colors as well asholiday decorations can be included in the line of decorative sleeves.

Installation and use of the Piling Pot may be very simple and straightforward. The user may simply purchase one or more pots in Sizesappropriate to accommodate their waterfront pilings. According to easilyfollowed package instructions, the user may then mount the Piling Pot inplace by first installing the support sleeve over the top of the piling.Sliding the cylindrical sleeve over the piling, the user may make sureto position the unit so that the base of the sleeve rested flush againstthe top of the piling and the sides of the sleeve extended severalinches over the sides of the piling, securing the unit in place via thetwo threaded screws which run through the center of the unit.

Next, the user may simply screw the actual flower pot to the installedsupport, via the corresponding threaded fittings located on the top ofthe base tray and bottom of the Piling Pot, respectively. Properlyinstalled, the Piling Pot may rest securely atop the piling with theuser then filling the pot with soil and their favorite flowers orplants. The Piling Pot may be left in place as long as desired, with theuser periodically watering and caring for flowers and plants plantedwithin as needed.

The Piling Pot is an innovative product invention which may offerconsumers a number of significant benefits and advantages. Foremost, thePiling Pot may provide waterfront dwellers a sensible way in which toprevent birds from perching on bulkhead support pilings. An easilyinstalled flower pot which encompasses the top of the piling completely,the Piling Pot may provide an effective deterrent for nautical birds,preventing these creatures from resting on and sullying the pilings andbulkhead with their unsightly droppings. An aesthetically pleasingalternative to the utilitarian bird spikes traditionally used to preventbirds from perching or nesting, the Piling Pot may provide an elegantsolution to a common problem.

Consumers may enjoy filling the Piling Pots with any number of flowersor plants, creating arrangements that compliment the seascape or season.For instance, during the summer months, one may fill the Piling Potswith an abundance of colorful and fragrant flowers, while bright redpoinsettias may prove ideal for the winter holiday season. Others mayprefer to fill the Piling Pots with bountiful plants, decorative seagrass or other greenery. The Piling Pots may also be utilized forplanting herbs and small vegetables, enabling waterfront inhabitants toenjoy the benefits of a fresh garden, even if they don't have theavailable land for planting one. Easily installed and durablyconstructed, the Piling Pot may withstand years of continued use, withease.

The Piling Pot is a cleverly conceived product invention which mayprovide those who live in waterfront homes a practical way in which toprevent birds from perching on waterfront pilings. A fully functioningflower pot which is easily mounted to the top of a piling, this uniqueproduct invention may offer a simple means of preventing bird'sinfiltrations, while simultaneously enhancing the beauty of thewaterfront. Affordably priced, the Piling Pot may be well received byany consumer who lives by the water.

Although this invention has been described with respect to specificembodiments, it is not intended to be limited thereto and variousmodifications which will become apparent to the person of ordinary skillin the art are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of theinvention as described herein taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings and the appended claims.

1. A flower pot device designed to fit on top of a piling, comprisingheavy duty and weather resistant plastic material, configured in anopen, cylindrical shaped receptacle with the base of the unit measuringslightly smaller in diameter than the open mouth of the pot.
 2. Theflower pot device of claim 1 The Piling Pot may measure approximately 12inches in depth, with pots featuring a diameter of 8 inches and 10inches also offered in the line.
 3. The flower pot device of claim 1further comprising a circular shaped drainage hole may be centrallypositioned on the base of the pot.
 4. The flower pot device of claim 1further comprising a cylindrical shaped sleeve designed to be mounteddirectly to the bulkhead as well as serving as a base tray for theflower pot itself
 5. The flower pot device of claim 4 wherein the sleeveis secured to the top of the piling via two threaded screws driventhrough the center of the unit.
 6. The flower pot device of claim 4wherein the top of this sleeve culminates in an overflow tray for theflower pot, with a threaded fitting running the perimeter of theinterior of the tray and corresponding to a threaded fitting located onthe base of the flower pot.
 7. The flower pot device of claim 1 furthercomprising solar powered lights incorporated into its design which areautomatically activated during the evening hours.
 8. The flower potdevice of claim 2 wherein the pot may be produced in a range of vibrantcolors and patterns, as well as natural bisque or neutral hues.
 9. Theflower pot device of claim 2, further comprising a decorative to sleeveto be applied to the outside of the pot wherein the decorative sleevefeatures different colors, textures and designs seasonal colors, orholiday decorations.